Rocco went straightto his room when they came back inside, and I stayed downstairs with Rosie, Dom, Dean, and Michael, brooding, waiting for the acceptable moment to excuse myself and go after him. We were all just standing around anyway. Dominic hadn’t said a word to me. He shot me a pointed look and walked over to Rosie to whisper in her ear like a middle schooler. Dean and Michael grabbed a bottle of whiskey and sat in the den. I had no idea what the outcome of their fight had been. I couldn’t read my brother’s mood. Was he finally blaming me for it? I’d take the blame a hundred times. I didn’t care. It was better than seeing Rocco just stand there while Dominic beat him up. I couldn’t take it anymore. I either had to ask him or go upstairs, but I couldn’t just sit here as if nothing happened.
“What happened outside?” I asked. Dominic’s face snapped up. Of course, he just fucking stood there looking at me. “What did you say to him?”
“What’d you think would happen, Lenora?”
“I don’t know.” I threw my hands up and paced the tiny space. “This is my fault, you know? I was the one who kept pushing him. I didn’t want. . .” I swallowed, this was going to be TMI for my brother, but I was past caring. “I didn’t want Adriano to be my first.”
“I didn’t want to hear that, but I understand,” Dom said after a moment.
“The point is, if you’re going to be mad, be mad at me.”
“You know what they say, Nora. It takes two to tango.” He turned and opened the fridge.
“I know, and I’m telling you that I was the one who started the dance.”
He turned around, looking amused at my response, and for the first time in my adult life, I wanted to hit my brother. I would have if I thought it would hurt him. Instead, my heart sank as I went over this mess. We were already in the middle of an important disaster that my father created, which just added to it. Would Rocco leave? Was that why he was taking so long upstairs? Because he was packing? Had I been the cause of breaking up a lifelong friendship? Damn it. Of course that had crossed my mind initially, but I didn’t think it would actually happen this way. I don’t know what I thought. I guess I thought we’d take this secret to our graves along with my heart, which only seemed to beat for him.
“Is he leaving?” I asked. “Is that why he’s upstairs? He’s leaving?”
It was hard not to wither underneath my brother’s stare. “Why don’t you go upstairs and find out, and while you’re at it, tell him to get his ass down here.”
I went, but my steps faltered and I turned around again. “Are you going to hit him again?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to?”
“No, I don’t want you to.” I threw my hands up. “I didn’t want you to in the first place.”
“He’s a big boy, Lenora. He can take a few punches. He’s had worse.” He looked away momentarily. “Tell him we’re waiting for him.”
I rushed upstairs. Dean had lowered the house when everyone came inside, so it was dark again. God, it had been torture watching them outside, and it was even worse now that I didn’t know the extent of the damage I’d caused. I stood in front of Rocco’s door and stared at it. Would he be mad at me and kick me out of his room? It was his right to do that, but I wasn’t sure my heart could take it. I opened the door. He peeked out of the bathroom as I walked inside and shut the door behind me. He was shirtless, and while normally his body would have beckoned all of my attention, his battered face had it now. I pressed a hand over my heart, breathing shakily as I walked over. When I reached him, I lifted the tips of my fingers to the dark bruise forming around his left eye. He watched me as I did it and didn’t flinch when I brought my other hand to his jaw and ran my fingertips right next to his split lip.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, searching his eyes, my fingertips still on his face.
“Don’t apologize.” He turned his face and kissed the spot where my pulse beat, cupping my face softly as if I was the one who was all bruised up. He lowered his forehead to mine and shut his eyes.
“He shouldn’t have hit you.”
“Yes, he should’ve.” His eyes crinkled when he pulled back to look at me. “I got off easy. If the tables were turned, I would have probably murdered him.”
“No, you wouldn’t have,” I said softly. “I feel so awful. First, my dad, and now, I feel like I ruined your friendship.”
“What are you talking about?” He pulled away again. “You didn’t ruin anything.”
“I did.” I lowered my head.
“All you’ve done is make me happy. How could you have ruined anything?”
I swallowed. “But Dominic. . .”
“Is fine. He’ll have to get over it and get used to seeing us together.”
My head snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“I plan to be by your side until you get sick of me.” His thumb made soft circles on my cheek.
“But. . .” I frowned. He had to know that was impossible, right? I blinked back tears.
“I’m in love with you, Lenora.”
